Factory fire-drill system.



n. G. DEE. FAG-TOBY m2 DRILL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE Ti 1915.

Patent-ed Apr. 24,1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT cur os.

nAvIne. DEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

noonnsrnn ROGERS, or

nocrrns'rna, NEW roux,

FACTORY FIRE-DRILL SYSTEM.

Original application filed February 25, 1914,-Se 1ia1 N 8 0,950- Divided 1915. Serial No. 32,543.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID G, DEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certainnevv and useful Improvements in Factory Fire- Drill Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates systems and is a division of the co-pending application filedFeb; 25, 1914, Serial Num-j' similar inventionn The present invention has for its object to ber 820,950, covering a provide a system of-electrical circuits and apparatus adapted to be used in conjunction therewith, and designed particularly for use in factories, schools and similar places wherein it is desirable to sound alarms in case offire, and which may further be adapted for use in the conducting of fire drills required by law in many States and municipalities ,Theapparatus is further intended to be associated with a subscribers telephone circuit leading to a central oflice or exchange whereby trouble of any 'kind, such as grounds, short circuits or breaks in the main alarm circuit, will be reported not only locally at the point of installations, but also at the central telephone office or exchange.

It is to be further understood that the present invention is also applicable not only for the purpose of sounding local fire alarms and transmitting trouble alarms to the central office,but also can be used in conjunction with apparatus for transmitting the firealarm to the central oflice or exchange. Withthe above and other objects in view, as will be apparent, thisinvention consists in the construction, combination and arrangements of parts and circuits all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein The figure of a fire alarm circuit and apparatus therefor, constructed in accordance with the pres ent invention.

Reference being had more particularly to the drawing, the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with a telephone subscribers tors 1 and 2 which, as is usual, extend to the central ofiice or exchange, the latter being Specification of Letters Patent.

tov factory fire drill wires that the combined is a diagrammatic illustration line circuit comprising the conduc- Patented Apr. 24, 191 '7.

and this application filed June 7,

equipped with the usual switchboard apparatus including, among other-things, a subscribers line or pilot lamp by means of which the operator is advised of an incoming signal, said lamp being lighted when the line circuit-is closed and extinguished when the same is opened. The leading-in wires which connect the subscribers talking set to the line circuit or conductors 1 and 2 are indicated by 1 and 2 and it is across these alarm and drill system circuits are bridged. An alarmsystem, such. asthe present invention, preferably comprises ,a series or plurality of fire alarmsignal boxes designed primarily'vto despatch code signals over the alarm, circuits. Two of these boxes are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and indicated A andB. These signal boxes comprise 'code wheels driven in any suitable manner, such as a spring actuated clock train and which are normally prevented from operation by suitable restraining devices o b cooperatingwith the escapement of the clock'train. Electromagnets A B are provided with their respective restraining devices .a-b whereby the latter may release the escapement of the clock train when the electro-magnets A B are energized by closing their respective circuits either manually by push buttons or automatically by thermopiles or thermostats. The circuits ofthese electro-magnets whereby Ithe code or signal boxes are set in operation are exactly similar and each extends to a. given locality in the building or series of buildings, each signal box A, B designating a building or a portion of a building, as the case may be. For this purpose, viz. designating a portion of a building or a building in a series of each signal box is provided with a series of projections or teeth 6 and b? for the signal box B and a and a for the signal box A. The first group of projections 'a'- b of each code wheel is designed to designate the portion of the building or the building in which the fire is occurring; while the second group of projections a b is designed to indicate the exit to be used. That is to say, the projections or teeth a designate that the fire is occurring on for instance the second floor'of a building while the second group of buildings, the code wheel of projections or teeth 0 indicates the exit to be used.

Cooperating with each code wheel A, B are the spring contacts a 5 which are designed to be closed or brought together by the teeth or projections a, a 1) 5 of the corresponding code wheels, it being apparent that when the circuit cooperating with each electro-magnet A B is closed, and the electro-magnet energized to attract the restraining devices a-b, the clock trains will be released for movement, rotating the code wheels A, B to make and break the circuit under the control of the contacts a 6 The alarm circuit, arranged to be closed by either the contacts at 6 comprises the wires G and D, the first of which is connected to one side of a local battery X while the second wire forms a loop D connected to one terminal of the relay coil E returning by way of the Wire D connected to the other terminal of the relay coil E, and terminating at the other pole of the battery X. This alarm loop has bridged thereacross, the alarm receiving mechanisms or bells F, F F F and may be traced by the wire C, the battery X, the wire D the relay coil E, the wire D and the wire D. Inasmuch as the wiresC and D which include the loop, terminate in the contacts a 6 it is manifest that when said contacts are brought together, the loop circuit D and D is closed energizing the signal re-' ceiving devices or bells F F F I to correspond to the electric impulses in the circuit.

The loop circuit D and D is under continuous test so that any trouble condition arising thereon, Whether a ground, a shortcircuit, or a break, will be indicated and for this purpose a local trouble alarm G is provided in conjunction with the central office exchange or exchange indicator H. The local trouble alarm G constitutes a bell, buzzer or other receiving mechanism located in the circuit g, g which is supplied with the necessary current from the battery w,- said circuit being constantly open by the contacts g and g on the relay E. Under normal conditions, as will hereinafter be apparent, the relay E is energized drawing up its armature thereby maintaining all contacts under the control of said armature open.

The central office trouble alarm or indicator H comprises an electro-magnet h, the coil of which is connected by the wires h to the conductor 2 and by the wire k to the contact h of the armature of the relay E, said contact cooperating with a similar contact 71 which is connected by the wire k to the conductor 1 of the subscribers line circuit. Thus, when the contacts 71, and h are brought together, the trouble signal H is bridged across the subscribers line circuit,

the armature h of the electro-magnet it normally forming a continuation of the wire 2, 2 by reason of its engagement with the back contact if; and when the contacts 78/3 and h are brought together, the electro-magnet h is energized pulling up its armature which then engages the contact h connected with the wire 7L2, whereby the magnet h is short circuited causing the armature h to fall away to again engage the contact h which operation continues as long as the contacts h and 72, are in engagement, thereby creating a continuous vibration which is noticeable upon the line or pilot lamp at the central o'liice switchboard.

The armature of the. relay E likewise carries two additional pairs of normally opened contacts (w m* and y -y which, when closed, control the supply of current from the battery X to the two sides of the alarm loop as follows: Leading from one side of the battery X is the wire 02: terminating in the contact spring 03 which when released engages the spring 00 which is tied to the wire D by the wire 00 Leading from the other wire D is a wire 3 connected to the contact spring g which, when the armature of the relay E falls away engages the contact spring 3/, the latter being connected to the wire D at the other end of the loop by the wire By the provision of these two pairs of contacts 00 and m and y and g the battery X is connected to both ends of the loop circuit so that in the event of the breaking of one or both of the conductors D D", it will be possible to operate the receiving mechanisms or bells F, F F F when one of the alarm boX mechanisms A B is actuated or when the alarm circuit is manually closed for test or for fire drill purposes.

In order that the signal receiving mechanisms or bells in the loop circuit may be operated primarily for fire alarm purposes or manually tested to indicate the condition in operativeness, a pair of contacts 76 71: is provided, connected respectively by the wires k k to the conductors C and D, said contacts being under the control of the key K. With the key K is further associated two sets of normally closed contacts on and n, the former being interposed in the wire g and the latter interposed in the wire if said contacts serving to cut out the local trouble alarm and the central oiiice trouble indicator when the system is being tested for operativeness or being closed for the purpose of carrying out a fire drill. It is apparent that by closing the contacts 76, 71: the loop circuit is closed in the same manner as the operation of the alarm despatching boxes A B.

The relay E being sensitive, is maintained energized by a slight current flowing from the battery X over the loop circuit so that of a break in the latter,

as long asthe loop circuit remains intact and is not grounded, the armature of said relay will be pulled up maintaining the sets of contacts under the control thereof, open, and in order that this may be accomplished, a high resistance winding E is bridged across the conductors C and D, maintaining the loop circuit normally closed but permitting suflicient'current to flow thereover to maintain therelay energized, said current not being suflicient to operate the signal F circuit is closed is as follows z- Battery X, conductor C, high resistance E, conductorsD D, the; relay E, the con ductor D to batter In the event ,of an alarm box A, B or the key K being operated, the resistance E is short a current flow from the contacts a Z2 or 71: k through the conductor C, battery X conductors D relay E, conductor D, conductor D to the aforesaid contacts. Should the loop circuit heretofore described be destroyed or broken, the dropping of the ar. mature of the relay E causes its four sets of contacts to close and the two upper pairs of contacts g g and k h to complete the circuits which serve to indicate the conditions of trouble locally and at the central oflice, respectively. The closing of theother two pairs of contact springs applies battery to both ends of the alarm loop so that in case the bells or signal receiving devices F F F F may be operated notwithstanding this apparent interruption in the circuit.

To illustrate ductors D D said conductors in which event the closing of the main circuit at either of the three points a 6 or k will cause the current "to recelving mechanisms or bells F F F traverse over two circuits which are as follows: battery X, conductor 0, contacts a conductor D, wire 1 contacts g y, wire conductor D,'signal receiving mechanisms or bells F F, conductor D wire of, spring contacts m m and Wire m to battery. The other circuit by which the remaining signals are actuated may be traced from the battery X, conductor C. contacts a conductors D signal receiving devices orbells F F and conductor D to battery.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In an apparatus of the character describe the combination with a loop circuit provided with a plurality of alarm signal series thereon, a 'recircuit, supply connected to one end a resistance bridged across maintaining a closed circuit, of means for short-circuiting said resistance, sets of contacts normally retained in opened condition of the loop, and the loop and The circuit thus formed when the loop circuited creating der th this, let the dotsin the con represent a break in bothof a source of current y current flowing in the relay, and current.

supply leads extending to said contacts and from the latter to the other end of the loop circuit. 0 g

2. In a fire alarm circuit the combination with two looped conductors, a source of'current supply connected to one portion of said loop and alarm devices each connected to the two conductors in different portions of the loop, of a relay interposed in the loop, a resistance coil closing the circuit through the latter and normally rendering the alarm devices inoperative, leads from the source of current attached to a diflerent point of the loop and having contacts therein which are held open by current flowing in the relay coil, and means for rendering the resistance inoperative.

' 3. The combination with a loop circuit, of a resistance bridged across said circuit, a relay interposed in said loop, a source of current supply in said circuit whereby the reay is maintained energized through the resistance which maintains the circuit normally closed, and contacts under the control of said relay having leads tapped to said circuit whereby, upon the breaking of said circuit, current is fed to the same upon each side of the break.

, 4. The combination with an alarm circuit, of a source of current supply therein, a high resistance arranged to close said circuit and reduce the flow of current therethrough, a relay maintained energized by the reduced How of current, through the circuit closed by the resistance aforesaid, and contactsune control of the relay and connected to the circuit whereby when said relay is dee'nergized', current will be supplied to the alarm circuit.

with a loop circuit, of alarm receiving devices therein, a source of current supply, normally opened contacts for despatching alarm signals arranged to set being connected circuit and the cooperating contact of set being connected to the the loop circuit.

he combination with a loop circuit, of alarm receiving devices therein, a source of current supply, normally opened contacts loop each opposite end of for despatching alarm signals arranged to loop circuit, and a second group of contacts be receiyed on sald alarm receiving devices, under the control of said relay for operata relay in sa1d alar1n circuit a high resisting a plurality of trouble signals. ance for reducing thecnrrent flow 11'1 Sa1d. In testimony whereof I have affixed my 5 loop circuit to maintain the relay energized, signature in the presence of tWo witnesses.

contacts under the control of the said relay arranged in sets, one contact of each set DAVID being connected to one end of the loop cir- In the presence ofcuit and the cooperating contact of each set CHARLES S. WILSON, 10 being connected to the opposite end of the HERMANN R. MENDIUS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,v

Washington, D. C. 

